Suspect poisoning? US: ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · UK: 01202 509 000 · Severe symptoms → nearest emergency vet now.

Poisoning questions, answered

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The four most-used triage calculators:

chocolate · open tool My dog ate dark chocolate — how much is dangerous? grapes & raisins · open tool My dog ate one grape. Should I panic? xylitol · open tool Dog ate sugar-free gum with xylitol — emergency? lily · open tool Cat licked a lily petal — is that fatal?

Full answer library

All pets Dogs Cats

Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg indoor cat dug in the compost and ate a small amount of moldy coffee grounds — how much moldy compost is toxic for a cat her size? There is no safe amount of moldy compost for a cat. Tremorgenic mycotoxins are potent, and even a few licks… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg pregnant dog just licked de-icing salt off her paws after a walk — is this dangerous for her and her unborn puppies? Yes, it's dangerous. The salt can cause chemical burns on her tongue and lead to salt poisoning, which… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat is obsessed with the smell of anchovies and keeps trying to knock over the jar. How can I keep her away from it in the kitchen? Store the anchovy jar inside a sealed plastic container or a latched cabinet she cannot open. Cats are… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat snatched a few ripe mulberries from the fruit bowl at our dinner party. Is that okay, or should I watch for vomiting? A few ripe mulberries are safe. They are non-toxic, but like any new food, they might cause a mild stomach… Dogs · Emergency guide My 22 kg dog ate a handful of pecans 4 hours ago and the vet gave activated charcoal — what tests will they run now and how long does recovery take? Yes, your vet will likely run tests now. They’ll probably start with bloodwork to check pancreatic enzymes… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat chewed a snake plant leaf and is drooling, but she loves spider plants — which is worse for her and why? Snake plant is far worse. Spider plants are non-toxic and might cause mild stomach upset at most. Snake plant… Dogs · Emergency guide At a BBQ, my 12 kg dog snatched a 25 mg diphenhydramine pill from the patio floor — should I make him vomit now or wait? Do not induce vomiting unless your vet tells you to. That single pill can cause agitation, tremors, and a… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 18 kg dog with a sensitive stomach ate one grape and had diarrhea 6 hours later — is this likely just his tummy or the start of poisoning? It could be either, and you cannot tell from diarrhea alone. The toxic compound in grapes is unpredictable … Dogs · Emergency guide My 4 kg, 12-week-old puppy found and ate a 3 mg melatonin gummy — is this more dangerous for him than for an adult dog? Yes, much more dangerous. Puppies have immature livers and nervous systems, so even a small dose can hit… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat dug an empty, expired tube of vitamin D psoriasis cream from the bathroom bin and licked it — is old cream still toxic? Yes, absolutely still toxic. The vitamin D analog in the cream remains potent long after the expiry date.… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a few spoonfuls of plain oatmeal from my breakfast bowl, but my other two cats didn't touch it — do I need to separate them or watch all three? Just watch the one who ate it. Plain oatmeal is safe for cats, so there’s no poisoning risk to any of them.… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat stole a few raw, peeled slices from my salad — is water chestnut safer or riskier for her than jicama (yam bean)? Both are safe in small amounts, but there’s a key difference in texture. Water chestnuts are crisp and can be… Dogs · Food safety At a buffet, my 8 kg dog grabbed two chocolate-dipped strawberries from a low table — is the strawberry or the chocolate coating the bigger worry? The chocolate coating is the immediate danger. Two whole chocolate-dipped strawberries could contain enough… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat just nibbled a raw Swiss chard leaf from my counter 10 minutes ago — what should I do in the next hour at home? First, take the rest of the chard and any trimmings off the counter — cats often go back for more. A single… Cats · Emergency guide Is an accidental overdose of gentamicin ear drops more dangerous for my pregnant 4 kg cat and her unborn kittens? Yes, the risk is higher for both the mother and her litter. An overdose can be absorbed into her bloodstream… Cats · Toxicity calculator Is a 5000 IU vitamin D3 supplement more dangerous for my 4 kg cat than for a 30 kg dog who eats the same amount? Yes, the risk is far greater for your cat. Toxicity depends on dose per kilogram of body weight. That same… Dogs · Emergency guide Is anticoagulant rat bait more dangerous for my 15 kg dog than the old-fashioned 'strychnine' type poison? Both are extremely dangerous, but they work in different ways. Anticoagulant baits cause internal bleeding… Dogs · Food safety Are store-bought dental chews with 'orange flavor' or 'orange oil' safe for my 12 kg dog with a sensitive stomach? Proceed with caution. The orange flesh in small amounts is usually fine, but the peel and essential oils used… Cats · Food safety What happens if my 5 kg cat licks a spoon of erythritol-sweetened yogurt from my breakfast every day for weeks? Repeated small doses can lead to chronic digestive issues. Erythritol draws water into the intestines, which… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat loves licking ketchup off my plate — what are the risks if she does this regularly over months? Regular exposure adds up. The onion powder in ketchup is toxic to cats and can slowly damage red blood cells… Dogs · Food safety Are dehydrated tilapia jerky strips a safe and healthy treat option for my 20 kg active dog? Yes, they can be a good option, provided they are plain tilapia with no added seasonings, oils, or… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog is obsessed with the smell of my Voltaren gel — how do I train a solid 'leave it' for the tube? Yes, a solid 'leave it' is essential for this. Store the tube in a high cabinet immediately after use… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 12 kg dog licked a plate with leftover beef gravy that had antifreeze dripped in it — what's the risk from this small amount in food? Extremely high risk. Ethylene glycol is sweet and dogs will eagerly lick it, even mixed in gravy. The lethal… Dogs · Emergency guide I've been giving my 20 kg dog one iron gummy vitamin every morning for a month as a treat — what long-term damage could this cause? Stop immediately. This daily routine is delivering a chronic toxic load of iron that damages his stomach… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog ate a few bites of potato salad that had green potato sprouts mixed in — is the cooked dish still toxic? Yes, it is still toxic. The solanine toxin in green sprouts and potato skins is not destroyed by cooking.… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate three cooked, shelled shrimp 2 hours ago — when should I expect vomiting or diarrhea if it's going to upset her stomach? If the shrimp were plain and fully cooked, she'll likely be fine. Stomach upset from rich or new food usually… Cats · Food safety Can my 2 kg, 3-month-old kitten have a thin slice of plain cooked lotus root, or is her digestive system too immature? Yes, a single thin slice of plain cooked lotus root is safe for a kitten. It's non-toxic and low in fat. The… Cats · Emergency guide How much infant formula is dangerous for a 5 kg cat? She lapped up about half a cup from a spilled bottle. Half a cup is a significant amount for a 5 kg cat and warrants a call to your vet. That much lactose and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg terrier ate one kalanchoe leaf, but my 25 kg Labrador didn't touch it. Do I need to separate them or watch the other dog differently? Focus on the terrier who ate the leaf — the Labrador is not at risk. Cardiac toxins in kalanchoe affect each… Dogs · Emergency guide How can I train my curious 8 kg puppy to 'leave it' when he finds something like rat poison or chocolate on a walk? Start training 'leave it' at home with boring, safe items before you need it for emergencies. Hold a…

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The library keeps growing. Can’t find your situation? Open the matching toxicity calculator and enter weight plus amount for an instant risk level.